The new cultivar is a result of a formal plant hybridization program conducted during the past forty-five years with many different species of Ilex for the purpose of developing new cultivars that are superior and/or novel to Ilex cultivars current in the trade, and thus of high potential for commercial distribution. The important selection factors in this instance include superior winter hardiness, high vigor, excellent and novel foliage characteristics, and attractive fruit display.
To our knowledge, plants of the combination of these three species have not been previously reported.